Betelgeuse

ATP

2009-12-31T16:32:00.000-08:00

We had range on Wednesday and I missed the marksmanship badge by 2 shots. Quite a let down because after the day shoot I still could afford to miss 3. I misjudged that the night shoot would be a lot brighter, after all it was at BMT. But I guess it's the experience that counts and not just the money or even the badge. Which I reckon would look pretty good especially during commissioning and might gain you a little respect when at unit after that.

I guess since ATP is over I can look forward to SOC and IPPT. The training we did prior to book out kinda assured me that I will be ready for carrying the type of load that any man at unit will be able to carry. I am told that the pace over at unit is faster than here and hopefully if I will be able to experience it there for myself.

Avatar

2009-12-25T06:45:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here. Lately it seems that book out's have been rather packed. Looking ahead I think I'll spend more and more time sleeping instead.

Watched Avatar today. I guess you could say it was worth every cent we paid. should have caught the 3D version but well i guess the way thing's are going soon every action genre should be animated and 3 Dimensioned as well.

Stunning CGI aside, the movie's plot was pretty much predictable. Reading any decent movie guide would give you pretty much a good idea what kind of a ride you're going to be going through, albeit a pretty ride.

I would like to think that Cameron did brilliantly in linking up our planet's impending climate disaster to the show. In a dialogue with Eyra, the mother tree, Jake says: "Look into my mind see what my people have done to our planet, they have killed our mother." Cut real deep there..

Kudos though to the people who thought up this encyclopedia worth of Pandora information, and the animators and designers who conjured all the special effects and brought this to life . This I think is how science fiction should be made with a huge melting pot of fiction good enough to be facts.

Top 5 list of cool stuff on Pandora, and the people who would want them..
1) An Avatar, for just about everyone who would like to be 8 foot tall, blue and sporting a tail once in a while.
2) The "Wong-Fei-Hong" style hair cut with built in USB port, cool for all absent minded techies. Lashes on to just about everything on Pandora. Talk about connectivity..
3) The helicopters with blades on the side, a must have for rotary wing pilots who currently have a problem with ejection while their blades are over their cockpit.
4) The trees, connected to Eyra they they're kinda like huge storage drives for everything a civilization can remember. Hard disks are beginning to sound like tomorrows news now.
5) The standard pixilated uniforms worn by all the soldiers on Pandora, cuz it's probably the only thing we've really got.

Good morning Air Wing this is your CDS speaking..

2009-11-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

Late book out at 6am on Saturday, early book in at 6am on Sunday. SUCKS BIG TIME... bleah)):

Doesn't help that i only spent 4 out of the 24 hours with my eyes shut.
Doesn't help that you can actually come back and study for the test due tomorrow.
Doesn't help that being the Cadet Duty Sergeant on a weekend, I can actually slack off during this period of time.

I want my freedom back! I guess they really meant it when they say that freedom is priceless.

KC is currently snoozing in the duty room while i type this, and i guess I'll catch up on some sleep once I'm done with this as well. I missed breakfast this morning and my stomach is starting to grumble, catching some Z's may help to alleviate my hunger problem. Hopefully we can go for an early lunch and start studying once that is over.

We come from OBS, we forgot OCS

2009-11-01T01:10:00.000-07:00

Last week the entire Air Wing was at Pulau Ubin for a 3 day program at OBS. While it wasn't as happening as the last time I was at OBS, it was definitely fun and I did learn quite a lot about communicating effectively. This kinds of ties in with all the communicating and motivational stuff that i'm picking up all through October.

The fourth public university is due to open on our sunny island in 2011. It's called the "Singapore University of Technology and Design" (SU) for short. (I think the person who did the acronym was seriously lazy, but then again picking between SUTD and SU i'd rather the latter). It's a blip on my radar screen, the Newcastle Uni one has been holding itself from me for quite sometime. I think I'll wait for news for it's partnering Chinese university.

I think the idea behind SU is quite unique never before had we have two foreign universities coming together to create something special on our soil, especially when they both come from supposedly opposing school of thought and methodology. If this works as it should it would add a lot of variety to our existing education landscape. 2011 is still some time away hopefully by then I would reach a decision on what my future would be.

CWC

2009-10-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

I got a squid this week, one of the major ones. The previous CWC thought I was good enough for the job, especially when I motivated the lot during field camp back in BMT. He thought that "that" could be replicated here.

This has definitely not been one of the most fun things I've done here at OCS, but I definitely did learn a lot. While saying in detail all that we did might be classified, I think sharing some learning pointers should be alright.

Learning points
1) You don't have to do wrong things for you to get punished, You get punished when things fall out of place when you're in charge.
2) Never expect that all things in the schedule to be prepared once you are there. Always be prepared to get the key to locations, and all materials ready beforehand.
3) Your men depend on you to be on the ball at all times, never be in a state where you are unaware of anything.
4) Situational awareness is important, greeting officers and paying compliments are as important as issuing instructions and should never be forgotten.
5) Issue good and clear orders, always run through them to tie up any loose ends. And always check back with the men to ensure that orders are clear.
6) Stand by bed is unpredictable, and can sometime take hours.

I notice how different it was when I was section IC in BMT and now when I am CWC in OCS. It has made me realize how different life as a specialist and as an officer would be in future. This appointment has made me realize that the creed is not for show, but a genuine list of what is expected of you.

I am an officer of the Singapore Armed Forces,
My duty is to lead to excel and to overcome,
I lead my men by example,
I answer for their training, morale and discipline,
I must excel in everything I do,
I serve with pride, honour and integrity
I will overcome adversity with courage, fortitude and determination,
I dedicate my life to Singapore.

3 Weeks Confinement

2009-10-11T00:31:00.000-07:00

I feel like...
1) I'm lacking drive, motivation and in addition to that a large sense of insecurity and inadequacy.
2) I lack time to think, to make sense of everything.
3) I can't really seem to see how every guy on the outside seem want to get "in".
4) I can't really get the idea of why every girl seem to think that being "in" is something special.
5) Maybe it's time to feel a little positive...

POP loh!

2009-09-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

I must say throwing that cap into the sky lifted a lot off my shoulders.

Pre-NS life was mainly a slack and relax affair, even so I still can't believe that I wanted so badly to be enlisted during that period. Should have taken more time to enjoy all that is beautiful.

NS life thus far has taken a surprising lot of getting used to. BMT life wasn't quite the way I imagined it to be. I guess gone are the days where it was just with my rifle, my buddy and me. Modern day BMT seems a little more competitive than I would expect with many enlisted young men hoping to get into command school mainly OCS.

Post BMT life has been quite enjoyable thus far, however I must add that the air of apprehension about the life after posting still gets to me sometimes. I shall despite all else aspire to live and enjoy my block leave as much as possible. (After all it's taking up 5 days of my annual leave)

NS has "cliched as it sounds" given me a new insight into this phase of life that every male Singaporean has to go through. The thought of booking out knowing that somewhere out there, someone else my age and up is looking at the sky, land and sea ever ready to repel anyone who threatens life as we know it, is comforting.

Knowing well that many past Singaporeans have walked down this path has also been an added comfort during tough times. Having a tough mentality that is difficult to break down is definitely an asset while in NS. As such I have learnt to take things positively and in all things give thanks. You gotta, It makes every book out special.

Review

2009-07-10T02:28:00.000-07:00

In trying to cram whatever time left prior to enlistment to reading books that I'll hardly have time for in the next two years. I recently had the pleasure of reading "INDIA", written by Sanjeev Bhaskar.

Sanjeev is also known as host of the tongue-in-cheek Bitish talk show "The Kumars". Just a little teaser on how outrageously funny he is, you can catch him and the family having an interview with Michael Parkinson. Who by the way, hosts another very popular TV talk show as well, but that perhaps is for another day.

The Kumars with Michael Parkinson
(Part 1 )
(Part 2 )

INDIA by Sanjeev Bhaskar
Picture courtesy of Amazon.com

Unlike the title not everything in the book is about him and his travels around India. While, he did travel to the India and felt the richness of its economic centers, tasted the produce of its bread basket and seen the products of its industrial landscape. What i found most interesting was his sojourn to find the hometown of his parents which was in Pakistan.

The Partition of India displaced about 12 million people, whom at the proclamation of independence of the two states of India and Pakistan had to move themselves from what has been their homes for generations to unclaimed residences and squatters across a line drawned up by an "unbiased" Briton, The Radcliffe line.

The only difference between the peoples of the two sides of that crude line was religion. In other words the creation of a Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India.

One can only imagine the displacement of almost 12.5% of the known population of the two states at that time. The horrors being mobbed and attacked by your neighbours of countless decades just because of your religion is to me entirely unfathomable. Nor is the hundreds upon hundreds of new refugees seeking shelter in places where sanitation and infrastructure was already at its seams.

Many left not being entirely sure if the move was for temporal safety or a permanent displacement. Many moved in with a Goldilocks mentality not knowing or caring if the real owner was going to return. Many sought shelter in slums that are shockingly still there today.

The personal toil and stories that each one of them faced from disease to incredulously long travel by way of buses, trains or even on foot to their new homes, has left an indelible mark on my thoughts about the Indian subcontinent.

The book has given me an unseen picture of the internal tensions that lies within the contemporary history of the subcontinent. It also adds to the rich layers that already surrounds my opinion of this incredible land.

Seven Deadly Sins

2009-07-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

" The Seven deadly sins are Wealth without Work, Pleasure without Conscience, Knowledge without Character, Business without Morality, Science without Humanity, Worship without Sacrifice and Politics without Principle."

"There are people so hungry in the world, that God cannot appear in front of them except in the form of bread."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Phone Blues

2009-06-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe when I'm out of the army, you'll be able to park your car with a phone...

Review

2009-05-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

The break before enlistment has given me some precious time to indulge in reading and thinking. My penchant forgetfulness leads me to write this down while relatively fresh.

The Cover

Photo courtesy of amazon.com

The book talks about the fall of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantines and the rise of the Ottomans as a world power. What is interesting however is how the author is able to sieve through sources and materials from almost 500years ago. Anyone who has done Social Studies probably knows what kind of a shitty job that is.

"Every writer has an angle and a motive for his version, and it is necessary to pick carefully through claims and special intrests of each one." - Roger Crowley (The Holy War for Constantinople and the clash of Islam and the West)

The story itself though historical invoked a huge sense of awe at the human potential. How towers were built overnight, giant cannons cast on the battlefield in foundries, ships rolled overland just to break a chain blockade, resourcefulness of the defenders, courage of the attackers and not forgetting the logistics that moved and fed a combined of nearly 300,000 people, including the supply of ships and countless tonnes of gunpowder and cannonballs among other things.

Mehmet II enters Constantinople by Fausto Zonaro
Photo courtesy of http://hakkani.files.wordpress.com

It also talks about the various punishments that we're meted out to the captured citizens of the city. Some were sawn into two to fulfill the promise that their heads would not be cut off, many were impaled and most were just decapitated. It speaks volumes about what we can become accustomed to and how dreadful that can become.

Importantly it painted a story far from the religious aspect that it is most associated with. Rather it painted a picture of realism about the dying days of the defenders too burdened with the responsibility of protecting the city and about an invasion forced pressed by the dreams of the sultan's empire on their backs.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul the four minarets were added by the Ottomans

If anything the book has laden me with a deep romanticism about the city of Istanbul and Anatolia. I do hope I get a chance to visit there someday

Blog restarted...

2009-04-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, finally a fresh start after a long silent spell. We'll there are many self-righteous things that I wanted to rant about for the inaugural post. But I've decided to use it to thank a couple of people who have been a pillar of support this past 08-09 year.(This gets more emo if you use kk's blog song as background music (-.-)

Here they are in alphabetical order (or as KK types alphe-bird-ankle order)...

Cheng Jiang - I always say you're the class median mark, (when you start studying most of us do, when you start "suaning" most of us continue), though you never did quite like the term. Now that I think of it there's more to you than mediocrity. I hope you have a swell time at Jurong Shipyard after the army and If i do visit don't "kan" me cuz I never wear helmet.

Enshao - Even though you can't plan a night cycling event for s**t, and always seem give the "slap my face" smile even after screwing up. I'm grateful that you were are class monitor. No one in our whole class seem to be able to mop up s**t better than you can. Thanks for ensuring that each of us got a copy of the lecture notes and "organizing" class outings. I think there is a lot more about you than a lot of us think there is. And I hope you continue to do well after this.

Johnny - You "YAYA" kia always seem to be irritating me when I'm most not in the mood. But thanks for being the most responsible teammate all through my poly life. I guess like a lot of people, seeing your more mature side is refreshing. I Look forward to seeing you in BMTC school 2. And stop the habit of carrying your jokes too far, won't wanna stop people from blanket partying you hor.

Kok Kiat - You Kuku, teach me how to drink and spell like some "bo-tak-chek" person. But thanks for constantly being there during the lowest points of our "KNL" FYP and when I was really down. I remember how we used to go drinking and shout our problems away (that time really quite emo hor). I think you've got more potential than you think, and the most important thing about potential is utilizing it. When you "fa da cai" next time don't forget me. Btw i think you have the best blog song amongst most of the blogs I've visited.

Naqiah - Your pinch hurts like a B***h. But fortunately that's not same for the person.Thanks for being so sporting about the jokes and being so hardworking. Frankly, I take my cue to start studying hard when you begin to ask me questions that I couldn't answer. I think the whole class lived on yours and Noraini's notes for the past 3 years. Wishing you all the best for your Mechanical Course at NTU, and trash those JC wimps..

Pauline - You were one person I couldn't quite agree with. But I guess if I were in a course that I totally hated, I'd be pretty cranky as well. You've taught me how much a blessing it is to be doing the things you love. And I do hope that one day you too will go on and do things you enjoy doing. Life's beautiful for you and I do hope it continues to go on that way for the many years to come.

QE - I thought the world went upside down when our slackest most "bo chap" classmate got called up to the most "siong" unit in all of the SAF. Thanks for being so "Chio-Chio" in class and not adding to the suaning that was constantly flying around. If maple was homework you'd be a Nerd. You've got a lot in you, much more than you can imagine. So go, discover and be more than you'd thought yourself to be.

Thao - Last to join. Quite frankly when I first met you, I thought we were going to have problems communicating. But over time in FYP I found you more hardworking that Naqiah (gasp). And the trip to your house in Vietnam has been deeply enriching as well as humbling. I thank you for your hospitality during the trip. And hopefully one day I'll see Uncle, Auntie, Uyen and yourself here as Singaporeans.

Thiam Hee - Thanks for bringing all the prawns for BBQ and going night cycling with us. Don't go around saying that you're stupid cuz you're not, You just lack organization of your notes and theory. I think you're the most misunderstood amongst all, and I hope that someday you'll be able to find the right tone to engage people best with. Start with a smile that always works =)

Weilson - You always seem to blow the class away with glitzy presentation slides, coupled with a wise crack sense of humor, none of the lecturers knew the job was done just 30mins ago. But I guess that's you. We might not have always seen eye to eye on everything. But I guess you always raised the bar in class which is a good thing. I think you're going to have a splendid time doing Computing at NUS. And when you get good at it don't hack my com. thanks

Wei Kok - Though you have the foulest machine gun mouth in our class. I still know you're a nice guy at heart. You're the only person I know who can play the same game for 3 years (even though you can say it's diff version). Though I know that you probably woudn't be a football manager in future (cuz Richard Bok is still head of SAFFC) but I do hope that you'll end up doing something you enjoy. And remember friends are not football players, the hairdryer treatment dosen't work on everybody. So try smiling more and saying "Ah Do" even if you've got to hit your head on the car roof.

Wei Wen - Thanks for coming up with the most insane jokes. Sometimes I come to class upset that I've been marked late (like all the time), and just you asking the lecturer for more time to complete the assignments can crack me up. Life is in the fast lane for you just like your bike and hopefully in future you'll go further than you've ever been before.

Young - You emo kuku, stop spreading misinformation about me. But I gotta thank you for accompanying me on those deary bus rides home. And talking c**k and goofing around. Thanks for including me into your money making schemes, though I must admit I'm really quite the safe type. I really am enthused by your spirit of never letting the problems at home or school get you down. How much of that is a facade I'm not sure. But I guess I'm a product of your optimism rubbing off others, so keep it up. Btw I was quite warmed when you posted the stupid pic of me on your blog when i was away, quite reminded me that home was not too far away..

I've had great memories with each and everyone of you. Either bullying you guys or being bullied(I think more of being bullied). I thank God for placing each one of you in my life. And I guess we all had our fare share of the laughter, mugging and suaning.

It has truely been a tremendous pleasure to be counted among NP's graduating class of MOT '09.